Friction wedge



FRICTION WEDGE 2 SHEETS-SHEET- 1 Original Filed July 15, 1947 Patented F eb. 26, 1952 2.5 7.392 FRICTIQN wanes James C. Settles and Loree Elwyn Furniss, Co-

lumbus, Ohio, assignors to'The Buckeye Steel Castings Company. Qolumbus, Ohio Original applicationfjuly 15', 1947, Serial No.

761,038. Divided'and this application November 15, 1948, Serial No.'60,008

The present invention relates to 2 Claims. (01. 188-251) a friction shoe for usein connection with a railway car true k for damping oscillations of the bolster which is resiliently supported on the side frames of the truck. This application is'a division of our pending application, Serial No. 761,038 filed Jury 15, 1947. I One of the objects of the invention is to provide a friction shoe or wedge for damping move;

ment of the bolster of a railway car truck being particularly adapted for use with an in-] board type railway car truck but having utility;

in connection with damping mechanisms of other types of railway car trucks. Another object of the invention is to so construct the friction wedge for a bolster damping mechanism that the friction wedge will fit With-;

in a pocket provided in an upwardly projectin side bearing table carried by the bolster and so constructed that the face of the friction-wedge; I may engage a wear plate carried by the guide column of the side frame for restraining free vertical movement of the bolster on it supporting springs.

Other objects and features of the invention f will be more apparent as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the accom panying drawings and the following detailed description wherein a friction wedge exhibiting thev invention is disclosed. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of an inboard type railway car truck with a number of the parts omitted to facilitate illustration of a truck organization in which the friction shoe'is utilized. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on' the line 22 of Fig. land illustrating one-half of the truck with a" number of parts omitted." V

Referring to the drawings, the wheels of a car v truck are shown diagrammatically at 2| and the 150 axle for each pair of wheels is journalled in antifriction bearings 23. The bearings support side frame members 24 which are arranged inwardly f of the wheels 2|. The side frame is provided with a bolster opening 25 for the reception of a spring plank 26. The end portions of the spring plank 26 rest on the top surface 21 of the spring seats 28 of the side frames. The spring plank 26'may be interlocked to the side frame by any suitable means such as a lug 29 which projects downwardly from the spring plank into an opening 39 in the top of the spring seat.

The end portions of the spring plank support a group of springs 3| which may be of the long+ travel type and this group of springs 3| support the bolster 34 having an end portion 33 which extends into a position between the guide c01- umns 4! of the side frame. In accordance with the present invention each end portion of the bolster is provided with a side bearing table 35 which projects upwardly through a guide opening 36 in the top or compression member of the side frame. The opening 36 may be offset from the longitudinal center of the side frame as shown in Fig. 2. The side bearing table 35 is provided at opposite sides thereof with pockets or cavities 31 for accommodating friction wedges or. shoes 38. These friction shoes are adapted to rest on springs 39 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The springs 39 urge the friction shoes 38 towards the wear plates 40 secured to the bolster guide col umns 4| in such a manner as to confront the wedges or friction shoes.

The upstanding side bearing table has in each pocket thereof an inclined surface 56. These surfaces in the two pockets at each side of the bearing table converge toward each other in proceeding downwardly relative to the bolster. Each inclined surface 56 cooperates with a complementary inclined surface 51 of one of the friction wedges 38. The bolster is also provided with a spring seat 58 at the bottom of the pockets or cavities 31 for supporting the wedge spring 39. Each friction wedge, as best shown in Figs. 3 to 6, has a vertical friction surface 59 which engages or bears against the wear plate 49 at one side of the guide column 4|. Each inclined surface 51 is slightly crowned and a horizontal surface 60 is provided which rests upon the top of the spring 39. These elements of the wedge are integrally formed and are reinforced by a novel arrangement of ribs GI, 62 and 63. These ribs strengthen the friction wedge and also allow sufficient space for the spring 39.

The structural features of the friction shoe or wedge are further characterized by a plate portion 10 having a substantially flat front face to provide the friction surface 59. The plate portion 10 may be of rectangular outline as shown in Fig. 4. The wedge or shoe includes a web H projecting substantially at right angles from a rear face of the plate portion 'Hl. A flange 12 extends downwardly at an angle from the free end of the web H as will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 5. This flange provides the inclined crowned surface which extends downwardly and outwardly with respect to the plate portion in proceeding below the free end of the web H. The reinforcing rib 6| join the opposite edges of the plate portion ill with the edges of the web H. The reinforcing ribs 62 connect the edges of the plate portion '10 with the edges of the web H below this web and these ribs 62 are provided with arcuate inner surfaces 14 as shown in Fig. 6. The reinforcing ribs 63 are elongated and are integral with opposite edges of the web H and also integral with the edges of the flange 12. The ribs 63 depend below the free end of the flange i2. The under portion of the web H is provided with an arcuate shaped shoulder I6, This arcuate shoulder 76 in cooperation with the arcuate surfaces l4 define the boundary of the horizontal surface 6d which provides a spring seat on the under surface of the web 1 I.

Each friction shoe is provided with holes 64 in the lower ends of the elongated reinforcing ribs 63. These holes are arranged to be aligned with holes 65 in the bolster structure as shown in Fig. 3 for receiving a pin employed in holding the wedge spring 39 under compression when it is desired to connect or disconnect the bolster from a side frame. It will be understood that the friction damping devices thus provided function to restrain free vertical movement of the bolster relative to the side frames,

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural details it will be appreciated that changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not a limitation as to the various forms of the device which may be resorted to without departing from the spirit 'andscope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim: 1. A friction shoe for a damping mechanism ofa railway car truck comprising, an elongated rectangular shaped plate having a flat front friction face, a web having a width substantially equal to the width of the plate formed integral with the plate and projecting substantially at right angles from a rear face thereof below the top of the plate, a flange having a width substantially equal to the width of the web integral with a free end of the web, said flange having a top surface inclined outwardly and downwardly relative to the plate in proceeding below said web, a

reinforcing rib below the web integral with one edge of the plate and integral with one edge of the Web, an arcuate inner surface on said rib substantially merging with one edge of the web, a second reinforcing rib below the web integral with the other edge of the plate and integral with a second edge of the web, an arcuate inner surface on the second rib substantially merging with the second edge of the web, and an arcuate shoulder carried by an under surface of the web substantially merging with opposite edges thereof to define in cooperation with the first two arcuate surfaces a substantially circular spring seat on the under surface of the web having a diameter substantially equal to the width of the'web.

2. A friction shoe for a damping mechanism of a railway car truck comprising, an elongated rectangular shaped plate having a flat front friction face, a web having a width substantially equal to the width of the plate formed integral with the plate and projecting substantially at right angles from a rear face thereof below the top of the plate, a flange having a width substantially equal to the width of the web integral with a free end of the web, said flange having a top surface inclined outwardly and downwardly relative to the plate in preceeding below said web, a reinforcing rib below the web integral with one edge of the plate and integral with one edge of the web, a concave inner surface on said rib substantially merging with one edge of the web and merging with the rear face of said plate, a second reinforcing rib below the web integral with the other edge of the plate and integral with a second edge of the web, a concave inner surface on the second rib substantially merging with the second edge of the web and merging with the rear faceof said plate, elongated spaced reinforcing ribs integral,

with the edges of the web and integral with the edges of said flange, a concave shoulder carried by an under surface of the web substantially merging with opposite edges thereof to define in cooperation with the first two concave surfaces a substantially circular spring seat on the under surface of \the web having a diameter substantially equal to the width of the web.

, JAMES C. SETTLES. e LOREE ELWYN FURNISS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

